Method and machine for shaping the heel of a shoe upper

ABSTRACT

A method and machine is provided for shaping a shoe upper onto the last by activating and pressing the heel onto the last and then fastening the heel onto the insole. A revolving table is provided with a plurality of stations, the first of which aligns the upper onto the last, the subsequent stations providing for activation, pressing and fastening while the upper remains on the last.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,835,496 Klein Sept. 17, 1974 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SHAPING 3,248,748 5/1966 Hole 12/142 R THE HEEL OF A SHOE UPPER 3,594,838 7/!971 Stewart 12/] A 3,758,903 9/l973 Auberry et al l2/l A [75] Inventor: Wilhelm Klein, Leiderbach/Ts,

Germany Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson 73 Assignee; U M C fi Boston, Mass Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Aubrey C. Brine; Vincent A. White; Richard B. Megley [22] Filed: Sept. 6, 1973 [211 App]. No.: 394,785 [57] ABSTRACT A method and machine is provided for shaping a shoe 52 US. (:1. 12/142 R, 12/1 A pp onto the last y activating and Pressihg the heel 51 Int. Cl A43d 9/00 Onto the last and then fastening the heel Onto the 5 Field f Search 2 R, 1 A 142 R, 5 sole. A revolving table is provided with a plurality of 12/81 123 3 37 stations, the first of which aligns the upper onto the last, the subsequent stations providing for activation, [5 References Cited pressing and fastening while the upper remains on the UNITED STATES PATENTS lash 2,151,038 3/1939 Lancaster 12/] A 8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENIEDSEPWIHN 3.835.496

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PAIENIEBsEH nan sum 5 or 6 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR SHAPING THE HEEL OF A SHOE UPPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method and a machine for shaping the heel of a shoe upper on the last by activat ing and pressing the heel on the last and subsequently fastening the heel onto the insole in the case of counters which are coated with an activatable cement, by activating and pressing the heel on the last, there is obtained a firm bond with the upper and lining, so that a stable and true-to-last shoe form is obtained in this reglOIl.

For shaping the heel of a shoe upper on the last the loose upper has been heretofore hung with the counter to be pasted-in over a heated heel-shaped molding part, and stretched by pincers. After the stretching; lateral heated jaws press the upper against the molding part, and the counter is activated and cemented with the upper. This prefabricated upper was then removed by hand from the molding part, turned over a last, and stretched together with the latter in a last receiver. Then the heel was tacked, while at the same time the still hot heel was pressed onto the last by means of a pressure pad so that the final form of the heel was produced (DOS No. 1,510,026).

This method requires that the upper must be taken into the hand at two working stations, which results in a corresponding expenditure of working time of the operator. Since there is a certain time required for the hardening of the activated cement, it is necessary to wait a certain time before transfer to the station for shaping on the last. However, this requires a considerable expenditure for machinery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to the problem of automating the above mentioned method to ensure that the upper need not be moved from one carrier to the other.

This is accomplished according to the invention in the following manner. The upper is inserted with the last in a revolving table with individual working stations for aligning the upper with the last, and in this aligned position on the last it moves through the following stations for activation, pressing and fastening.

The use of the last as a carrier of the upper through all working stations provided in this method allows one to combine the aligning operation, which must be effected by hand, with other operations, namely with the removal of a finished shaped upper and the insertion of an upper to be treated on a last. This is done in a working station, which can be followed by other working stations in which an automatic treatment is effected. It is thus no longer necessary to use manual operations in the following working stations. I

An essential part is played by the use of the last as a carrier of the upper during the entire process, so that the otherwise necessary molding part for the activation can be eliminated and the movement of the upper through the various working stations is greatly facilitated because it is no longer necessary to transfer the loose upper from one-station to the other, as in the known methods. In the method according to the invention, the upper is constantly carried by the last, which is easier to move by a machine than a loose upper.

The machine requires in the individual working stations only the expenditure for this station, plus the devices for receiving and clamping a last with the upper to be provided on the revolving tablev These devices are provided in correspondence with the number of working stations, so that with each change from working station to working station, such a device with a tinished shaped upper appears at the delivery station where a new upper with a last is immediately inserted. The expenditure for these devices for receiving the uppers is therefore relatively low. I

The machine for carrying out the above described method is preferably so designed that four working stations associated with the revolving table and four clamping means for clamping the last and aligning the upper are provided on the revolving table, the four clamping means with the clamped last and upper opposing the working stations, which consist successively of the alignment station arranged at the front of the machine, the activation station provided with a heater, the pressing station provided with a pressure pad, and the fastening station provided with a fastening apparatus.

Other details will be understood from the specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodimentpf the invention is represented in the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a machine in a top plan view, comprising only the revolving table without the devices arranged in the working stations;

FIG. 2 shows a more detailed representation of a clamping means;

FIG. 3 shows the clamping means of FIG. 2 as viewed from thefront;

FIG. 4 shows the clamping means of FIG. 2 as viewed from the side;

FIG. 5 shows the activation station provided with a heater;

FIG. 6 shows the pressing station provided with a pressure pad;

FIG; 7 shows the fastening station provided with a nailing apparatus;

FIG. 8 shows the same fastening station of FIG. 7 in a more detailed representation with a size-adjusting device;

FIG. 9 shows the pressing station in a detailed representation with an adjusting device; and

FIG. 10 shows a stop for placing the upper on the last.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRE EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 the machine is represented as the parts concerning the revolving table which belong to it. The FIG. 1 shows the machine to include only as would be viewed perpendicularly from the top. The central sup-.

port for the machine is a fixed vertical column 1, about which a revolving table 2 turns. The revolving table 2 has four rasters 3, 4, 5 and 6 which are engaged by a plunger 7 which is operated by a pneumatic pistoncylinder unit 8. The piston-cylinder unit 8 hears at its back end against the pivot bearing 9 such that, when the plunger 7 advances, the piston-cylinder unit 8 can follow the path of the respective rasters 3 to 6. The

stroke of the plunger 7 is so dimensioned that the revolving table 2 turns by 90 with each displacement of the plunger 7, where it locks by the action of known parts which have not been shown here.

Onto the column 1 are secured three outwardly projecting supports l0, l1 and 12 which terminate in disks l3, l4, 15 arranged on the floor, on which the machine rests.

From the revolving table 2 four belts 16, 17, 18 and 19 project upwardly, which are staggered relative to each other by 90 and which are embraced by forks 20, 21, 22 and 23. The forks to 23 are rotatably mounted on the belts 16 to 19 so that arms 24, 25, 26 and 27 suspended on the forks 23 to 26 can be turned in vertical planes displaced relative to each other by 90. On each of the outwardly protruding arms 24 to 27 is arranged a clamping means with the two pincers 28 and 29, which are secured over supports 30 and 31 and holders 32 and 33 as shown on the arm 24. The carrier 34 is rotatably mounted on the arm 24 so that the carrier 34 with the pincers 28 and 29 can be turned by means of handles 35 and 36 about the arm 24. The significance of this rotatability will be described more fully in the explanation of FIG. 3.

Into the above described clamping means a last 37 with the attached upper 38 is inserted in such a way that the insole points to the outside and is substantially vertical, the heel pointing upward. The last 37 is held in known manner by means of a last pin 53 (not shown in FIG. 1) which protrudes according to FIG. 4 from a last receiver 52. The pincers 28 and 29 then engage the upper 38, after which the upper 38 is aligned on the last 37, which is described in detail below with references to FIGS. 2 and 3. Here it is desired to point out that the supports 30 and 31 can be relocated and locked in the holders 32 and 33, making it possible to take into account lasts 37 of different height. The holders 32 and 33 are rotatably mounted on the carrier 34 and are so prestressed by the tension spring 39 that the pincers 28 and 29 have the tendency to turn away to the outside. This movement is limited by the adjusting screws 40 and 41, simultaneously with which a stop for this rotary movement can be selectively adjusted.

After alast 37 with an upper 38 has been inserted, the alignment of the upper 38 on the last 37 as described more fully below, is effected in the alignment station A, after which the revolving table 2 is turned in the above described manner through 90 and the upper 38 aligned on the last 37 moves into the next station B which is designed as an activation station. The upper 38 is held in aligned position on the last 37 and transported by the latter. The elements effecting the activation will be described more fully below, with reference to FIG. 4. By again turning the revolving table 2 through 90, the activated upper 38 travels from station B into the pressing station C in which the upper is pressed onto the last 38, which is described more fully with reference to FIG. 5. Here too, the upper 37 re mains in the aligned position on the last 38, which serves constantly as a carrier for the transportation of alignment station A in the desired aligned position through all stations of the machine. With the next turn of the revolving table 2 through 90 the prefabricated shoe arrives in alignment station A, where it is removed and a new last with an upper is attached for alignment and for further treatment.

The function of the pincers 28 and 29 will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. The pincers 28 and 29 have movable jaws 42 and 43 and stationary jaws 44 and 45. The jaws 42 and 43 are operated by means of pneumatically displaced plungers 48 and 49 which during their feed turn the movable jaws 42 and 43 about the axles 46 and 47 so that the jaws 42 and 43 bear on the stationary jaws 44 and 45. The movable jaws 42 and 43 are under spring tension which has the tendency to turn the movable jaws into a position as is represented with regard to the movable jaw 42.

When the last 37 with the upper 38 is inserted, its side parts automatically slide in front of the stationary 20 jaws 44 and so that they can be readily engaged by the upper from station to station. Finally the revolving table 2 is turned again through 90, after which the upper 38, pressed-on in station C, arrives at the fastening station D in which the upper is now secured by means of a fastening apparatus (FIGS. 6 and 7) onto the insole. Here too, the position of the upper 38 on the last 37 is not changed, so that the upper moves from the rotary movement of the movable jaws 42 and 43. The last 37 bears against an abutment 50 arranged at the end of the arm 24. With the engagement of the side parts of the upper 38 by the pincers 28 and 29, the upper 38 is retained and can now be aligned with the last 37 by a corresponding movement of the closed pincers 28 and 29.

The alignment of the upper held by the pincers 28 and 29 will now be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows schematically the holders 32 and 33 with the handles 35 and 36 protruding therefrom. Let it be understood from FIG. 3 that the upper 38 on the last 37 has been gripped by the pincers 28 and 29 (not shown here). Since the carrier 34 is rotatably mounted on the arm 24, as mentioned above, the upper 38 can be aligned with the last 37 by moving the handles 35 and 36 in the direction of the double arrows, that is, the rear seam of the upper 38 is aligned exactly with the heel center of the last 37. After this alignment, the arm 24 with the clamping means arranged thereon is pulled down, by means of the pneumatic piston-cylinder unit 51, the arm 24 turning about the belt 16 by means of the fork 20. The upper 38 arranged on the last is stretched.

This stretching process will be described more fully with regard to FIG. 4, which shows the respective part of the machine in a side elevation only with such parts as are necessary for alignment station A. As will be observed, the last 37 is suspended on the last receiver 52 which projects from the belt 16. At the front end of the last receiver 52 is arranged the last pin 53 which pro- In the activation station B a heater is arranged opposite the aligned and stretched upper, which heater effects the activation of the upper. This will be described with reference to FIG. 5. When the activation station B represented in FIG. 1 is reached, the heater 55 is lowered to the last 37 with the upper 38 by a known program control, not shown here, such that the upper 38 is activated by the heat. The heater 55 is equipped with electrical heating resistances 56. The heater 55 is suspended on a pneumatic piston-cylinder unit 57. After the activation of the upper 38, the heater 55 is raised again before the revolving table 2 continues its rotation.

FIG. 6 shows the pressing station C in which the pressure pad 58 is turned over the last 37 by the program control mentioned above. This pressure pad is provided in known manner with inflatable elastic cushions. In cooperation with the rollers 60 and 61, the cone 59 pushes the two rollers 60 and 61 apart, and the side parts of the pressure pad 58 are compressed by means of the extensions 63 and 64. The plunger 62 is operated by a piston-cylinder unit 65 (see also FIG. 9).

The last working station, namely fastening station D, is represented schematically in FIG. 7, in which a fastening apparatus, here the clamp apparatus 66, is arranged opposite the last 37 with the pressed-on and thus shaped upper 38, this clamp apparatus 66 being advanced and actuated by the piston-cylinder unit 67. In this connection it should be pointed out that any other fastening apparatus, e.g., a nail apparatus, a tack apparatus or a cement feed with sleeves can also be arranged in the fastening station D. Such fastening apparatus is known and has therefore been omitted from this description.

We will now describe with reference to FIG. 8 and in connection with a clamp apparatus, how the machine can be adjusted to the respective height of the last ridge. On a rigid non-rotating frame structure 67 is arranged a stop 68 against which is placed the insole side of the heel of a last 69 to be measured. From the other side an adjusting screw 70 presses against the last ridge, which can be screwed forward and backward by means of a spindle 71. The adjusting screw 70 is so displaced corresponding to the double arrow that it presses the last 69 against the stop 68, as shown in FIG. 8. The adjusting screw 70 takes along over the universal joint 72 the lever 73, which is rotatably mounted over the axle 74 on the frame structure 67. The lever 73 takes along by means of the plunger 75 the clamp apparatus 66, which is connected over the claw 76 and the axle 77 with the plunger 75. The clamp apparatus thus assumes by this adjusting mechanism a certain vertical position, so that the clamp feed 78 is directly in front of the last 37 against which presses a stop 79. The representation of a higher last, represented in broken lines, indicates that the clamp apparatus can also assume, if necessary a position farther away from the last receiver 52.

FIG. 8 shows an adjusting mechanism for the arm 24. The arm 24 terminates in threaded part 80 which protrudes into a hand-operated adjusting screw 81. By turning the adjusting screw, any desired length of the arm 24 can be set.

With the locking of the height of the last ridge, as it was described above, the pressure pad 58 is provided in pressing station C at the same time so displaced that it is above the respective medium height of the last ridge. The necessary device is shown in FIG. 9. The piston-cylinder unit 65, which operates the pressure-pad 58 by means of its plunger 62, rests on a carriage guide whose abutment is secured on a part 83 of the frame structure. The carriage 82 with the piston-cylinder unit 65 is connected to a nut 84 into which protrudes the threaded spindle 85. By turning the threaded spindle 85, the piston-cylinder unit 65 is displaced with the plunger 62 and thus the pressure pad 58 is displaced relative to the part 83. The part 83 is suspended, just like the last receiver 52, on the frame structure, so that a displacement of the carriage 82 and thus of the pressure pad 58, can be fully effective with regard to a last 37 suspended on the last receiver 52. The threaded spindle 85 is operated together with the threaded spindle 71 (see FIG. 8).

The drive of the threaded spindles 71 (FIG. 8) and 85 (FIG. 9) can be effected in known manner by means of a gear wheel transmission, where a gear wheel is driven by means of a hand wheel, and the two threaded spindles 71 and 85 are driven from this gear-wheel. In such a common drive the correct setting for the clamp apparatus 66 and the pressure pad 58 is thus achieved automatically with the adjustment of the adjusting screw- 70 (FIG. 8).

To make sure that the upper can be placed properly and simply on the last, as far as covering the height of the heel of the last is concerned, an adjustable stop can be provided in the alignment station. Such a stop is shown in FIG. 10 and is provided with the reference numeral 86. The stop 86 is rotatably suspended on an arm 87, which latter is articulated to a support 88. By means of the adjusting screws 89 and 90 one can set a certain advance of the stop 86 and a certain height of the arm 87 so that the stop 86 can assume any position with regard to the heel of the last 37. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method for shaping the heel of an upper on the last by activating and pressing the heel on the last and subsequently fastening the heel on the insole which includes the steps of placing an upper on a last, inserting said last and upper in a revolving table adjacent a plurality of work stations, aligning the upper on the last at a first work station, heat activating the upper at a subsequent work station, pressing the upper against the last at a next work station and fastening the heel of the upper to the insole at a further work station.

2. A machine for shaping the heel of an upper on the last by activating and pressing the heel on the last and subsequently attaching the heel on the insole comprising four working stations disposed adjacent and associated with a revolving table, four clamping means arranged on the revolving table for clamping the last and aligning the upper, said four clamping means with the clamped last and upper being disposed in opposing relationship with the respective working stations located about said table which stations comprise successively of the alignment station arranged at the front of the machine, an activation station provided with a heater, a pressing station provided with a pressure pad and a fastening station provided with a fastening means for fastening the heel of the upper to the insole.

3. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said heater contains electrical resistance heaters.

4. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said pressure pad comprises inflatable elastic cushions which' form two movable jaws engaging the heel at the sides, and in the back.

5. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the fastening apparatus comprises a nail or clamp apparatus.

6. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the fastening apparatus comprises a tack apparatus.

7. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the fastening apparatus comprises a cement feed tionwith sleeves. 

1. A method for shaping the heel of an upper on the last by activating and pressing the heel on the last and subsequently fastening the heel on the insole which includes the steps of placing an upper on a last, inserting said last and upper in a revolving table adjacent a plurality of work stations, aligning the upper on the last at a first work station, heat activating the upper at a subsequent work station, pressing the upper against the last at a next work station and fastening the heel of the upper to the insole at a further work station.
 2. A machine for shaping the heel of an upper on the last by activating and pressing the heel on the last and subsequently attaching the heel on the insole comprising four working stations disposed adjacent and associated with a revolving table, four clamping means arranged on the revolving table for clamping the last and aligning the upper, said four clamping means with the clamped last and upper being disposed in opposing relationship with the respective working stations located about said table which stations comprise successively of the alignment station arranged at the front of the machine, an activation station provided with a heater, a pressing station provided with a pressure pad and a fastening station provided with a fastening means for fastening the heel of the upper to the insole.
 3. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said heater contains electrical resistance heaters.
 4. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that said pressure pad comprises inflatable elastic cushions which form two movable jaws engaging the heel at the sides, and in the back.
 5. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the fastening apparatus comprises a nail or clamp apparatus.
 6. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the fastening apparatus comprises a tack apparatus.
 7. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the fastening apparatus comprises a cement feed with sleeves.
 8. A machine according to claim 2, characterized in that an adjustable stop for fixing the height of the upper with regard to the last is provided in said alignment station. 